The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, a control method for the image forming apparatus and an administrating method for the image forming apparatus that are used for copying machines and printers.
In recent years, consumables of electrophotographic or inkjet printers are made so that they are replaced or replenished as a single body type cartridge (or a unified cartridge, a process cartridge) in which photosensitive materials and developers etc. are incorporated.
These process cartridges are devised so that they can be collected after use, remanufactured by replenishing or replacing consumables, and provided for reuse.
Further, in recent years, since a plurality of manufacturers has come to provide the process cartridges of the same configurations, distribution channels of the cartridge collection and remanufacturing have become rather complex.
In these circumstances, there has been generated a problem that which manufacturer is charged to collect the costs of collecting and remanufacturing the process cartridges.
For example, in cases where Company B remanufactures the process cartridge manufactured by Company A, Company B should primarily collect the costs of collecting and remanufacturing the process cartridge. In many cases in the present distribution system, the costs are added onto the sales price of the process cartridge, or remanufacturing cost are collected from users at the time of collecting the cartridge.
In the above circumstances, each cartridge manufacturer is not assured to collect the appropriate costs for manufacturing and collecting the cartridge.
Meanwhile, in many cases, various exclusive rights such as patent rights and trademark rights etc. exist for the process cartridges. In order to manufacture, remanufacture and sell the process cartridges, it is necessary to obtain licenses for the above rights.
Heretofore, to obtain the licenses for the above-mentioned rights, manufacturers and sellers of the process cartridge generally pay the license fees to the licensors.
Conventionally, transfer of the license fees concerning exclusive rights have been executed among manufacturers, sellers and licensors, but administration of the license fees according to the sales volume is usually done on a yearly or monthly basis etc., therefore, there have been problems that the load for the administration is heavy and the time lag before payment is long.
An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus, a control method for the image forming apparatus and an administrating method for the image forming apparatus that minimize the above mentioned problems, and particularly to provide an image forming apparatus, a control method for the image forming apparatus and an administrating method for the image forming apparatus that enable effective collection of remanufacturing and collecting costs etc. for the process cartridge, and further to clarify the allocation of the accompanying costs to the remanufacturers, and collecting companies.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus, a control method for the image forming apparatus and an administrating method for the image forming apparatus, wherein the load of administering the usage fee payment is decreased, and users can choose a more reasonable way to meet the usage fee payment, by conducting a charge collection and a license fee settlement for the exclusive rights of patents, trademarks etc. accompanying the process cartridge, at the time of use of the process cartridge.
The inventors of the present invention found that the objects of the present invention can be attained by any one of the following structures.
(1-1) An image forming apparatus, comprises:
an image forming section having a detachable process cartridge provided with identification information;
an identification information reading section to read the identification information of the process cartridge; and
a control section to control the image forming apparatus on a basis of a comparison result between the identification information and license presence/absence judgment information used for judging whether the process cartridge is licensed or not.
(1-2) In the image forming apparatus of (1-1), the image forming apparatus further comprises:
a network connecting section to connect with a network;
an identification information transmitting section to transmit the identification information to a server having the license presence/absence judgment information through the network connecting section; and
a license information obtaining section to obtain license information generated in the server on a basis of the comparison result between the identification information and the license presence/absence judgment information through the network connecting section;
wherein the control section controls the image forming section on a basis of the license information obtained by the license information obtaining section.
(1-3) In the image forming apparatus of (1-2), the image forming apparatus further comprises:
an electronic information storing section to store electronic information corresponding to the license information; and
a comparing section to compare the license information obtained by the license obtaining section with the electronic information stored in the electronic information storing section;
wherein the control section controls the image forming section on a basis of a comparison result between the license information and the electronic information by the comparing section.
(1-4) In the image forming apparatus of (1-2), the license information is encrypted and the image forming apparatus further comprises a decrypting section to decrypt the encrypted license information.
(1-5) In the image forming apparatus of (1-2), the image forming apparatus further comprises:
an electronic settlement server connecting section to connect through the network connecting section with an electronic settlement server to electronically settle a payment on a basis of the license information.
(1-6) In the image forming apparatus of (1-5), the image forming apparatus further comprises:
an electronic settlement proceeding section to conduct settling a use fee on a basis of the license information.
(1-7) In the image forming apparatus of (1-2), the process cartridge comprises a toner accommodating section to accommodate toner and a residual toner amount detecting section to detect an amount of residual toner remaining in the toner accommodating section.
(1-8) In the image forming apparatus of (1-7), in a case that the license information obtained by the license information obtaining section has information indicating xe2x80x9cno licensexe2x80x9d, the control section restricts or stops a function of the image forming section when the residual toner amount detecting section detects a predetermined amount of residual toner.
(1-9) In the image forming apparatus of (1-1), the image forming apparatus further comprises:
a network connecting section to connect with a network;
a license presence/absence judgment information obtaining section to obtain the license presence/absence judgment information from a server of the network through the network connecting section; and
a comparing section to compare the license presence/absence judgment information with the identification information;
wherein the control section controls the image forming section on a basis of a comparison result by the comparing section.
(1-10) In the image forming apparatus of (1-9), the image forming apparatus further comprises:
an electronic information storing section to store electronic information corresponding to the license presence/absence judgment information;
wherein the comparing section compares the license presence/absence judgment information obtained by the license presence/absence judgment information obtaining section with the electronic information stored in the electronic information storing section and the control section controls the image forming section on a basis of a comparison result between the license presence/absence judgment information and the electronic information by the comparing section.
(1-11) In the image forming apparatus of (1-9), the license presence/absence judgment information is encrypted and the image forming apparatus further comprises a decrypting section to decrypt the encrypted license presence/absence judgment information.
(1-12) In the image forming apparatus of (1-9), the image forming apparatus further comprises:
an electronic settlement server connecting section to connect through the network connecting section with an electronic settlement server to electronically settle a payment in the network on a basis of the comparison result between the identification information and the license presence/absence judgment information.
(1-13) In the image forming apparatus of (1-12), the image forming apparatus further comprises:
an electronic settlement proceeding section to conduct settling a use fee on a basis of the comparison result between the identification information and the license presence/absence judgment information.
(1-14) In the image forming apparatus of (1-9), the process cartridge comprises a toner accommodating section to accommodate toner and a residual toner amount detecting section to detect an amount of residual toner remaining in the toner accommodating section.
(1-15) In the image forming apparatus of (1-14), in the case that the comparing section judges xe2x80x9cno licensexe2x80x9d as a comparison result between the identification information and the license presence/absence judgment information, the control section restricts or stops a function of the image forming section when the residual toner amount detecting section detects a predetermined amount of residual toner.
(1-16) A method of controlling an image forming apparatus comprising an image forming section having a detachable process cartridge provided with identification information, comprising the steps of:
reading the identification information of the process cartridge;
comparing the identification information with license presence/absence judgment information used for judging whether the process cartridge is licensed or not; and
controlling the image forming section on a basis of a comparison result.
(1-17) In the method of (1-16), the method further comprises a step of connecting the image forming apparatus with a network; and a step of transmitting the identification information to a server in the network through the network, wherein the step of comparing is conducted in the server; and further comprising a step of generating license information on a basis of a comparison result between the identification information and the license presence/absence judgment information in the server; and
wherein the controlling step controls the image forming apparatus on a basis of the license information.
(1-18) In the method of (1-16), the controlling step controls the image forming apparatus on a basis of the comparison result between the identification information and the license presence/absence judgment information.
(1-19) In the method of (1-18), the method further comprises a step of connecting the image forming apparatus with a network; and a step of obtaining the license presence/absence judgment information through the network and the comparing step is conducted in the image forming apparatus.
Further, the objects of the present invention may be attained by the following preferable structures.
(2-1) In an image forming apparatus having a loading/unloading means for license information recording media onto an image forming means, and a control means which controls the functions of the image forming means in accordance with the license information, the image forming apparatus of the present invention is characterized in that the image forming apparatus comprises a license information reading means that reads the license information from license information recording media, an electronic information memorizing means that memorizes the electronic information corresponding to the license information, and a comparing means that compares the electronic information with the license information, and the control means controls functions of the image forming means based on the comparison result by the comparing means.
(2-2) The image forming apparatus described in the above paragraph (2-1) is characterized by having a read-out completion information writing means for writing read-out completion information after reading the license information from the license information recording media.
(2-3) The image forming apparatus described in above paragraph (2-1) or (2-2) is characterized in that the license information is encrypted and the image forming apparatus has a decrypting means that decrypts the encrypted license information.
(2-4) In the image forming apparatuses described in any one of paragraphs (2-1) through (2-3), the apparatus is characterized in that the image forming means has a detachable process cartridge and the process cartridge has a toner accommodating means and a residual toner detecting means that detects the amount of toner remaining in the toner accommodating means.
(2-5) In the image forming apparatus described in any one of the above paragraphs (2-1) through (2-4), when the residual toner detecting means detects a predetermined amount of the residual toner, the control means controls the image forming means so as to restrict or stop the function of the image forming means based on the comparison result.
(2-6) In an image forming apparatus comprising a loading/unloading mechanism of the process cartridge having the license information, and a control means that controls the function of image forming means in accordance with the license information, the image forming apparatus of the present invention is characterized in that, the image forming means comprises a license information reading means that read the license information of the process cartridge, an electronic information memorizing means that memorizes the electronic information corresponding to the license information, and a comparing means that compares the electronic information to the license information, and the control means controls the functions of the image forming means based on the comparison result of the comparing means.
(2-7) In the image forming apparatus described in paragraph (2-6), the license information is encrypted and a decrypting means that decrypts the encrypted license information is provided.
(2-8) In an image forming apparatus described in paragraphs (2-6) or (2-7), the process cartridge comprises a toner accommodating means and a residual toner detecting means that detects the amount of toner remaining in the toner accommodating means, and when the residual toner detecting means detects a predetermined amount of residual toner, the control means controls the image forming means so as to restrict or stop the respective functions.
(2-9) In a control method for the image forming apparatus comprising a loading/unloading mechanism for the process cartridge, which has the license information, onto an image forming process and a control process that controls the functions of the image forming process in accordance with the license information, the control method for the image forming apparatus of the present invention is characterized in that the image forming apparatus comprises a license information reading process that reads the license information of the process cartridge, an electronic information memorizing process that memorizes the electronic information corresponding to the license information, and a comparing process that compares the electronic information with the license information, and the control process controls the functions of the image forming process based on the comparison result of the comparing process.
(2-10) In the control method for the image forming apparatus described in paragraph (2-9), a writing process for complete reading of information that writes the data of completion of reading the license information from the license information recording media, is provided.
(2-11) In the control method for the image forming apparatus described in paragraph (2-9) or (2-10), the license information is encrypted, and a decrypting process that decrypts the encrypted license information is provided.
(2-12) In the control method for the image forming apparatus described in any one of the above paragraphs (2-9) through (2-11), the image forming process has a detachable process cartridge, and the process cartridge comprises a toner containing process and a residual toner detecting process that detects the amount of toner remaining in the toner containing process.
(2-13) In the control method for the image forming apparatus described in any one of paragraphs (2-9) through (2-12), the control process controls the image forming process so as to restrict or stop the functions, based on the comparison result, when a predetermined amount of the residual toner is detected.
(2-14) In a control method for the image forming apparatus comprising the loading/unloading mechanism of the process cartridge having the license information and the control process that controls the functions of image forming process in accordance with the license information, the control method for the image forming apparatus of the present invention is characterized in that the image forming apparatus comprises a license information reading process that reads the license information of the process cartridge, an electronic information memorizing process that memorizes the electronic information corresponding to the license information, and a comparing process that compares the electronic information to the license information, and the control process controls the functions of the image forming process based on the comparison result by the comparing process.
(2-15) In the control method for the image forming apparatus described in paragraph (2-14), the license information is encrypted and a decrypting process that decrypts the encrypted license information is provided.
(2-16) In the control method for the image forming apparatus described in paragraph (2-14) or (2-15), the process cartridge comprises a toner containing process and a residual toner detecting process that detects the amount of toner remaining in the toner containing process, and when the residual toner detecting process detects the predetermined amount of residual toner, the control process controls the image forming apparatus so as to restrict or stop the functions.
(2-17) In an image forming apparatus having a control means that controls the functions of the image forming means by receiving the license information via a network, the image forming apparatus of the present invention is characterized in that the image forming apparatus comprises a network connecting means for connecting to a network, a license information receiving means that receives the license information from a license granting server connected via the network connecting means, an electronic information memorizing means that memorizes the electronic information corresponding to the license information, and a comparing means that compares the electronic information with the license information, and the control means controls the functions of the image forming means based on the comparison result of the comparing means.
(2-18) In the image forming apparatus described in paragraph (2-17), the license information is encrypted, and a decrypting means that decrypts the encrypted license information is provided.
(2-19) In the image forming apparatus described in paragraph (2-17) or (2-18), the image forming apparatus has an electronic settlement server connecting means that connects to an electronic settlement server via a network, based on the license information.
(2-20) In the image forming apparatus described in paragraph (2-19), the image forming apparatus has an electronic settlement proceeding means for the settlement of the usage fee based on the license information.
(2-21) In the image forming apparatus described in any one of paragraphs (2-17) through (2-20), the image forming means has a detachable process cartridge, and the process cartridge comprises a toner accommodating means and a residual toner detecting means that detects the amount of toner remaining in the toner accommodating means.
(2-22) In the image forming apparatus described in paragraph (2-21), the control means controls the image forming means so as to restrict or stop the functions based on the license information, when the residual toner detecting means detects the predetermined amount of residual toner.
(2-23) In the image forming apparatus described in any one of paragraphs (2-17) through (2-22), the license information includes the settlement status information of the usage fee of the process cartridge.
(2-24) In an image forming apparatus having control means that controls the functions of the image forming means by receiving the license information via a network, the image forming apparatus of the present invention is characterized in that the image forming apparatus comprises a detachable process cartridge with identification information, an identification information reading means that reads the identification information of the process cartridge, a network connecting means for connecting to a network, a license information receiving means that receives the license information from a license granting server connected via the network connecting means, and a comparing means that compares the license information with the identification information, and the control means controls the functions of the image forming means based on the comparison result of the comparing means.
(2-25) In the image forming apparatus described in paragraph (2-24), the license information is encrypted, and a decrypting means to decrypt the encrypted license information is provided.
(2-26) In the image forming apparatus described in paragraph (2-24) or (2-25), the image forming apparatus has an electronic settlement server connecting means that connects to an electronic settlement server via a network, based on the license information.
(2-27) In the image forming apparatus described in paragraph (2-26), the image forming apparatus has an electronic settlement proceeding means for the settlement of usage fee based on the license information.
(2-28) In the image forming apparatus described in any one of paragraphs (2-24) through (2-27), the process cartridge comprises a toner accommodating means and a residual toner detecting means that detects the amount of toner remaining in the toner accommodating means, and when the residual toner detecting means detects a predetermined amount of residual toner, the control means controls the image forming means so as to restrict or stop the functions.
(2-29) In the image forming apparatus described in any one of paragraphs (2-24) through (2-28), the license information includes the settlement status information of the process cartridge usage fee.
(2-30) In a control method for the image forming apparatus having a control process that controls the functions of the image forming process by receiving the license information via a network, the control method for the image forming apparatus of the present invention is characterized in that the image forming apparatus comprises a network connecting process for connecting to a license granting server via a network, a license information receiving process that receives the license information from the license granting server, an electronic information memorizing process that memorizes the electronic information corresponding to the license information, and a comparing process that compares the electronic information to the license information, and the control process controls the functions of the image forming process based on the comparison result by the comparing process.
(2-31) In the control method for the image forming apparatus described in the above paragraph (2-30), the license information is encrypted and a decrypting process that decrypts the encrypted license information is provided.
(2-32) In the control method for the image forming apparatus described in paragraph (2-30) or (2-31), the image forming apparatus has an electronic settlement server connecting process that connects to an electronic settlement server via a network, based on the license information.
(2-33) In the control method for the image forming apparatus described as in the above paragraph (2-32), the image forming apparatus has an electronic settlement procedure process for conducting the usage fee settlement based on the license information.
(2-34) In the control method for the image forming apparatus described in any one of paragraphs (2-30) through (2-33), the image forming process has a detachable process cartridge, and the process cartridge comprises a toner containing process and a residual toner detecting process that detects the amount of toner remaining in the toner containing process.
(2-35) In the control method for the image forming apparatus described in any one of paragraphs (2-30) through (2-34), the control process controls the image forming process so as to restrict or stop the functions, based on the license information, when a predetermined amount of the residual toner is detected.
(2-36) In the control method for the image forming apparatus described in any one of paragraphs (2-30) through (2-35), the license information includes the settlement status information of the usage fee of process cartridge.
(2-37) In a control method for the image forming apparatus having a control process that controls the functions of the image forming process by receiving the license information via a network, the control method for the image forming apparatus of the present invention is characterized in that the image forming apparatus comprises a detachable process cartridge with identification information, an identification information reading process that reads the identification information of the process cartridge, a network connecting process for connecting to a network, a license information receiving process that receives the license information from a license granting server connected via the network connecting process, and also a comparing process that compares the license information to the identification information, and the control process controls the functions of the image forming process based on the comparison result by the comparing process.
(2-38) In the control method for the image forming apparatus described in the above paragraph (2-37), the license information is encrypted and a decrypting process that decrypts the encrypted license information is provided.
(2-39) In the control method for the image forming apparatus described in paragraph (2-37) or (2-38), the image forming apparatus has an electronic settlement server connecting process that connects to an electronic settlement server via a network, based on the license information.
(2-40) In the control method for the image forming apparatus described in paragraph (2-39), the image forming apparatus has an electronic settlement procedure process for conducting the usage fee settlement based on the license information.
(2-41) In the control method for the image forming apparatus described in any one of paragraphs (2-37) through (2-40), the process cartridge comprises a toner containing process and a residual toner detecting process that detects the amount of toner remaining in the toner containing process, and the control process controls the image forming process so as to restrict or stop the functions, based on the license information, when a predetermined amount of the residual toner is detected.
(2-42) In the control method for the image forming apparatus described in any one of paragraphs (2-37) through (2-41), the license information includes the settlement status information of the process cartridge usage fee.
(2-43) In an image forming apparatus having an administration means that administers the functions of the image forming means by receiving the license information via a network, the image forming apparatus of the present invention is characterized in that the image forming apparatus comprises a network connecting means for connecting to a license granting server via a network, a license information receiving means that receives the license information from a license granting server, an electronic information memorizing means that memorizes the electronic information corresponding to the license information, and a comparing means that compares the electronic information with the license information, and the administration means administers the functions of the image forming means based on the comparison result by the comparing means.
(2-44) In the image forming apparatus described in paragraph (2-43), the license information is encrypted, and a decrypting means for decrypting the encrypted license information is provided.
(2-45) In the image forming apparatus described in paragraph (2-43) or (2-44), the administration means comprises an electronic settlement server connecting means that connects to an electronic settlement server via a network.
(2-46) In the image forming apparatus described in the above paragraph (2-45), the administration means has, in the electronic settlement server, a settlement proceeding means for conducting settlement based on the license information.
(2-47) In the image forming apparatus described in any one of paragraphs (2-43) through (2-46), the image forming means has a detachable process cartridge, and the process cartridge comprises a toner accommodating means and a residual toner detecting means that detects the amount of residual toner in the toner accommodating means.
(2-48) In the image forming apparatus described in paragraph (2-47), the administration means administers the image forming means so as to restrict or stop the functions based on the license information, when the residual toner detecting means detects the predetermined amount of residual toner.
(2-49) In the image forming apparatus described in any one of above paragraphs (2-43) through (2-48), the license information includes the settlement status information of the process cartridge usage fee.
(2-50) In an image forming apparatus having an administration means that administers the functions of the image forming means by receiving the license information via a network, the image forming apparatus of the present invention is characterized in that the image forming apparatus comprises a detachable process cartridge having identification information, an identification information reading means that reads the identification information of the process cartridge, a network connecting means for connecting to a network, a license information receiving means that receives the license information from a license granting server connected via the network connecting means, and a comparing means that compares the license information to the identification information, and the administration means controls the functions of the image forming means based on the comparison result by the comparing means.
(2-51) In the image forming apparatus described in above paragraph (2-50), the license information is encrypted and a decrypting means to decrypt the encrypted information is provided.
(2-52) In the image forming apparatus described in above paragraph (2-50) or (2-51), the administration means comprises an electronic settlement server connecting means that connects to an electronic settlement server via a network.
(2-53) In the image forming apparatus described in above paragraph (2-52), the administration means has, in the electronic settlement server, a settlement proceeding means for conducting settlement based on the license information.
(2-54) In the image forming apparatus described in any one of above paragraphs (2-50) through (2-53), the process cartridge comprises a toner accommodating means and a residual toner detecting means that detects the amount of toner remaining in the toner accommodating means, and the administration means administers the image forming means so as to restrict or stop the functions, based on the license information, when a predetermined amount of residual toner is detected.
(2-55) In the image forming apparatus described in any one of above paragraphs (2-50) through (2-54), the license information includes the settlement status information of the process cartridge usage fee.
(2-56) In an administrating method for the image forming apparatus having an administration process that administers the functions of the image forming process by receiving the license information via a network, the administrating method for the image forming apparatus of the present invention is characterized in that the image forming apparatus comprises a network connecting process for connecting to a license granting server via a network, a license information receiving process that receives the license information from the license granting server, an electronic information memorizing process that memorizes the electronic information corresponding to the license information, and a comparing process that compares the electronic information to the license information, and the administration process administers the functions of the image forming process based on the comparison result by the comparing process.
(2-57) In the administrating method for the image forming apparatus described in above paragraph (2-56), the license information is encrypted, and a decrypting process to decrypt the encrypted license information is provided.
(2-58) In the administrating method for the image forming apparatus described in above paragraph (2-56) or (2-57), the administration process comprises an electronic settlement server connecting process that connects to an electronic settlement server via a network based on the license information.
(2-59) In the administrating method for the image forming apparatus described in above paragraph (2-58), in the electronic settlement server, the administration process comprises a settlement procedure process for conducting settlement based on the license information.
(2-60) In the administrating method for the image forming apparatus described in any one of above paragraphs (2-56) through (2-59), the image forming process has a detachable process cartridge, and the process cartridge comprises a toner containing process and a residual toner detecting process that detects the amount of toner remaining in the toner containing process.
(2-61) In the administrating method for the image forming apparatus described in above paragraph (2-60), the administration process comprises a control process that controls the image forming process so as to restrict or stop the functions, based on the license information, when a predetermined amount of residual toner is detected.
(2-62) In the administrating method for the image forming apparatus described in any of above paragraphs (2-56) through (2-61), the license information includes settlement status information of the process cartridge usage fee.
(2-63) In an administrating method for the image forming apparatus having an administration process that administers the functions of the image forming process by receiving the license information via a network, the administrating method for the image forming apparatus of the present invention is characterized in that the image forming apparatus comprises a detachable process cartridge with identification information, an identification information reading process that reads the identification information of the process cartridge, a network connecting process for connecting to a network, a license information receiving process that receives the license information from a license granting server connected via a network connecting process, and a comparing process that compares the license information with the identification information, and the administration process controls the functions of the image forming means based on the comparison result by the comparing means.
(2-64) In the administrating method for the image forming apparatus described in above paragraph (2-63), the license information is encrypted, and a decrypting process to decrypt the encrypted license information is provided.
(2-65) In the administrating method for the image forming apparatus described in above paragraph (2-63) or (2-64), the administration process has an electronic settlement server connecting process that connects to an electronic settlement server via a network, based on the license information.
(2-66) In the administrating method for the image forming apparatus described in above paragraph (2-65), the administration process has a settlement procedure process for conducting settlement based on the license information, in the electronic settlement server.
(2-67) In the administrating method for the image forming apparatus described in any one of above paragraphs (2-63) through (2-66), the process cartridge comprises a toner containing process and a residual toner detecting process that detects the amount of toner remaining in the toner containing process, and the administration process administers the image forming process so as to restrict or stop the functions, based on the license information, when the residual toner detecting process detects the predetermined amount of residual toner.
(2-68) In the administrating method for the image forming apparatus described in any one of above paragraphs (2-63) through (2-67), the license information includes settlement status information of the process cartridge usage fee.